


Moments

by KairouWatoshimi



Category: CSI: Miami
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-07
Updated: 2016-01-14
Packaged: 2018-05-05 09:16:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,409
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5369939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KairouWatoshimi/pseuds/KairouWatoshimi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[Series of Interconnected One Shots] It was such a familiar expression: a tilt of his head and a gentle smile stretched across his lips but it made her heart but pound hard against her chest.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Sparks

**Author's Note:**

> **Wrote this a long time ago but I thought it would be nice to post it in all my other writing archives. Did a little editing but nothing too major.**

If there was something Calleigh hated more than anything it was being underestimated. She was a strong, independent woman who had pretty much been taking care of herself since her father first decided to pick up his ninth bottle of beer one night. Calleigh knew how to take care of herself; she knew how to hold a gun, how to use it, and how not to hesitate because hesitating got people killed. Calleigh didn’t go through academy training just to stand back and watch some guy fight her fights.

Lieutenant Caine was her third boss but from the very beginning she knew there was something about him, something different that set him apart from everyone else. But despite this, she held herself at arm’s length, not wanting to place her trust in someone who may not know the definition of “promises.” Lord knows she had enough of that to last a lifetime.

_“No, lambchop! I quit drinking six months ago.”_

Or:

_“Calleigh, you don’t need to worry about me. I’m doing completely fine! I only had a glass.”_

And, her favorite:

 _“I’m quitting for good this time, lambchop. I_ promise.”

So when the suspect she was questioning attempted to make a grab at her, somewhere in the back of her mind she was waiting for Horatio to step up between the two of them and save a princess that did not want any saving. But Horatio simply stood to the side—with his gun out and ready, just in case—and watched as Calleigh showed him exactly what she was made out of.

“I’d like to see you try that again,” she breathed into the suspect’s ear, breathing heavily from the brief struggle. She looked up then, flipping her hair over her shoulder and met Horatio’s gaze. He was tense, she realized, but not to the point where it seemed as if he was going to jump into the struggle for her. And that’s when he realized it; he trusted her.

_He trusted her._

He trusted her strength and believed in her ability to handle herself. He didn’t see her as a pretty girl in need of saving. The sudden realization made a small, almost hesitating smile stretch across her lips. And as the officers who were waiting just outside the room came in and took the suspect away, Horatio tilted his head slightly and responded with a gentle smile of his own.

It was such a familiar expression, she had seen it a million times before but it sent her heart pounding anyway.

And when his eyes softened ever so slightly and his smile widened just a bit more, Calleigh knew she was in love.


	2. Smokescreen

Horatio had always loved Yelina even despite the fact that she was his brother's widow and that he really does think her as a sister-in-law. There was a part—a small part—that wishes, that hopes, that dreams.

He dreamed of waking up in a mess of brown curls, opening his eyes to look deep into soft, chocolate-brown ones but no matter how much he wished, how much he hoped, and how much he dreamed, he knew that somewhere in the back of his mind, he didn't want it all.

Horatio dreamed of Yelina but he had never dreamed of a life with her.

One morning, Horatio woke up and decided that he was sick of it all. He was sick of being _almost_ in love with his brother's widow. He was sick of watching from afar and wondering what Yelina felt, how deep her feelings for him really went and he was most definitely sick of worrying: What happens if Yelina shared his feelings? Would he be willing to take a step towards her and at the same time, push the shadow of his brother behind him?

Horatio liked Yelina but he didn't want to live a life with her.

"Horatio."

His head snapped up and he almost jerked in surprise when he found himself looking into familiar chocolate-brown eyes. "Yes?" he asked, clearing his throat uncomfortably.

"You all right?"

Blinking rapidly, he forced himself to nod. "Yes, of course. Yes."

His words—not surprisingly—did nothing to convince her and he almost faltered underneath Yelina's gaze as she searched his eyes for answers he wasn't willing to give.

"It's the case, isn't it?" she asked softly. Everyone on the team knew Horatio had a soft spot when it came to pregnant women and children. Their current case had both so his somewhat sullen demeanor was no surprise.

"Ah..." Horatio breathed. "No... I'm just... ah, thinking."

_Thinking, indeed._

"Okay," she replied slowly. "Well, I'm here to listen if you need anyone to talk to."

Horatio nodded again. "Thank you, but I think I'm all right."

She left him alone after that and Horatio gave himself another moment before he pushed the thoughts far, far, _far_ into the depths of his mind. He had made himself a promise earlier that morning and Horatio fully intended to keep it. He was as ready as he would ever be, he decided as he got up from his seat, making his way towards a familiar room. There would be no more thinking of Yelina; he was done half wishing, half hoping, half dreaming.

"How are we doing, Calleigh?" he asked quietly as he pushed open the doors to the blonde's lab.

She looked up and flashed a smile in his direction. It was a familiar expression; Calleigh had always been quick to smile and laugh but the small quirk of her lips lit up her entire face and made her eyes glitter with warmth he was not accustomed to.

He blinked.

"The two bullets are a match," she answered, folding her hands out in front of her, the smile never leaving her face.

Her words registered and he blinked for an entirely different reason. "A match," he repeated, his voice sounding odd even to his own ears. He opened his mouth, habit readying him to ask if she was sure but thought better of it. Of course she was sure, he answered himself. Calleigh was always sure.

"I know," Calleigh said, as if reading his mind. "But I double and triple checked everything. It's him, Horatio."

He made a soft hum at the back of his throat and nodded. "I guess I will begin the paperwork then." He turned to leave. It was rather strange, if he thought about it. An easy case; they _never_ get the easy cases. Not that he was complaining, of course. The sooner they solve cases, the quicker they put the—

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Horatio froze. He swallowed hard and wondered if his thoughts—the ones he thought he had so successfully pushed back into the depths of his mind—were showing so visibly on his face. He took a moment to adjust his facial muscles. "Calleigh?" he asked, turning around to face her because his face was relaxed, his smile sincere.

_"You all right?"_

The younger woman smiled, teeth flashing and eyes glittering. "It's all right if you don't, I just thought you should know that I'm here to listen."

_"Well, I'm here to listen if you need anyone to talk to."_

"Thank you, Calleigh," Horatio said carefully.

_"It's the case, isn't it?"_

"But," he continued. "I think I'm okay. The case is over." He felt like he was making the same excuse over and over again and wondered if getting over Yelina was supposed to be this hard.

Calleigh looked at him, the small smile still dancing across her lips. Finally, after a moment, she shook her head and let out a breath. Grabbing a few tools off her lab table, she began cleaning up. "If it was about the case, I wouldn't need to ask," she said, her voice so soft, he almost didn't hear it.

But he did and he froze again. "Excuse me?"

"You don't have to worry about a thing, handsome," Calleigh said, looking up to meet his gaze. Her eyes cut through him like he was made of glass, she was seeing directly through him with a bright-eyed glance and reading all his secrets. With a soft voice, small smile, and a clear eye, she was able to understand him like no other.

He felt his heart pound.

"Boys like you never stay single long." At her words, he felt his entire world turn over and couldn't help but chuckle.


End file.
